1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to a solar assembly and method of forming same. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, the present disclosure relates to a solar assembly configured to be integrated into a structure having a geometric profile wherein integration of the solar assembly preserves the integrity of the geometric profile of the structure.
2. Description of Related Art
A solar cell is generally understood to be a device that collects and converts irradiated light energy into an electrical current. A plurality of solar cells may be connected in series and/or in parallel to thereby form a solar array. Such solar arrays may be connected to control circuitry and/or logic configured to receive and/or condition the voltage provided by the solar cells and then provide the voltage to, for example, a battery for storage, a power supply for regulation/control, and/or to a system as an operating voltage. Generally, maximization of the surface area of the solar cells facing the irradiated light (e.g., sunlight) results in increased efficiency and output of the solar module, i.e., power point tracking.
One or more solar modules may be included in a solar assembly configured to be mounted to a stationary structure/object, e.g., a roof top, the side of a building, etc. The one or more solar modules may also be included in a solar assembly configured to be mounted on a non-stationary object, e.g., an automobile, a boat, a helicopter, an airplane, etc. Mounting the solar assembly on a non-stationary object gives rise to a number of issues. For instance, issues arise regarding the orientation of the solar cells with respect to the irradiated light source, e.g., sunlight. That is, maximization of the collection of irradiated light through power point tracking may become more difficult as the movable object moves and/or otherwise changes orientation with respect to the light source.
Another issue that may arise when including a solar assembly on a movable object may be the impact of the solar assembly structure with respect to the geometric profile of the object. For example, advancements in a variety of areas have enabled the use of solar power for a variety of aircraft purposes including powering of the electric propulsion and power-train for small air vehicles. There is a need to place solar cells on or within these vehicles in such a way that the aerodynamic properties of the vehicle design are not disturbed or adversely impacted. Current designs for integrating solar/photovoltaic cells and arrays into air vehicle designs requires that the solar cells be mounted on the external surfaces of the wings. Since most solar cell technologies utilize very thin and fragile crystalline structures, it is difficult and mostly impossible to apply flat solar cell designs to curved airfoils and aerodynamic structures. The alternative is to sacrifice aerodynamic performance by altering the airfoil design or only using solar cells on those portions of the external wing surface that are flat. The present disclosure described herein alleviates both problems and enables integrating solar/photovoltaic cell arrays without impacting or sacrificing aerodynamic design or performance.